Share the Morning
by MidnightRosebud
Summary: Samurai sentai Shinkenger. AU After the chaos of events that led Mako and Takeru to this point, the couple discover that life hasn't calmed down in the slightest. In fact, they are even busier than before and can hardly find time for each other anymore. Cold air and empty sheets make for more than one lonely morning in their marriage. If only that honeymoon hadn't gone by so fast.


**Author's Note: **This is a short one-shot that follows some time after my other Shiken story _Veneer. _It's not necessary to read the other story before this one, but you might be a bit confused at certain reference points otherwise. The idea for this popped into my head after a reviewer requested to "see more" after the epilogue of _Veneer_. I hope that you enjoy it! Constructive Criticism is always welcomed.

* * *

_Share the Morning_

Mako rolled over underneath the sheets and blurrily opened her eyes to the world. It was early; the sun was just beginning its ascent into the rose colored sky. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes she caught the sound of soft, deep breathing and smiled. She looked over to see the slumbering face of her husband next to her.

Quietly, with every effort not to wake him, she slipped her arm out from beneath the sheets and brushed a stray strand of his dark hair from his sleeping eyes. As soft as a whisper, her fingers traced the contours of his face before kissing his cheek lightly.

"Takeru," she called tenderly.

He made a quiet, sleepy noise and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. It was so rare to wake up before him; she was enjoying the moment immensely.

He was tired all too often these days, between running the restaurant, training under Kaoru, and his last semester of classes… It was starting to take its toll, even if he never showed an iota of his depleted energy supplies to anyone besides her. She felt a tingle of warmth at the thought; that Takeru let so many walls down only around her, trusted her so explicitly with everything. She brushed the back of her hand down the side of his face fondly.

Truth be told, she was busy too what with her own classes, student teaching, and her shifts at the restaurant. Both of them were kept running so often lately that it was difficult to have a moment or two alone. They made every effort to call each other every day, most especially when they wouldn't see each other for more than minutes at a time.

In fact, they hadn't had more than a few hours together lately since their honeymoon.

Mako blushed scarlet; vivid memories of that time coming to the forefront of her mind. The warmth, the passion, the feeling of time suspended… She'd be lying if she said there weren't moments when she wished they could return to those days, if only for an hour or two.

The wedding had been everything they'd hoped for; all the people they had loved and who mattered had been there. It wasn't elaborate, fancy, or elegant, loud with the crème de la crème of society, and published to the world. It had been simple, intimate, quiet, and _perfect_.

She had loved being surrounded by their closest family and friends; had celebrated the special moments with them in complete elation.

Mako would always remember walking down that aisle, the butterflies high in her stomach as she prayed that he would still be standing there and had not run off after a change in mind by the time she stepped up next to him… She had laughed with Takeru later when he had confessed the same exact feelings to her in private.

She sighed quietly in contentment. Mako would always wonder what she must have done in a past life to deserve to be with him. That out of all the women in the world, he had chosen _her_. Especially after the horror and chaos that had brought them together in the first place; the stark fiasco of Addison, Kai, and all their friends. How Mako had ended up so lucky, she would never know, but was intensely grateful every day of her life for how things had ended up. In a strange, backwards way, Mako was almost grateful to Addison and Kai and the rest of them. If it hadn't been for their conniving, manipulating, and chaotic devices, Mako would probably never have become friends with Kotoha, Chiaki, Ryunosuke, and Genta; would never have found the courage to stand up for herself and fight against her family, its society, and the rules they lived by; would never have found the nerve to finally confess her feelings to Takeru after so long.

Mako's brows furrowed as her mind raced back to all the trials and tribulations she and her friends had suffered through to get to this point. Her eyes shifted to her husband's sleeping face and the lines on her own face smoothed out, knowing that in the end it had all been worth it. If she had to go through it all again, knowing she would end up here, like this, waking next to the love of her life, she would do it again in a heartbeat.

But…she still missed those quiet days of just her and Takeru. When she had been allowed to indulge herself in the calm after the storm. The serenity and peace following the aftermath of the fight and Addison and Kai's arrests, the good-stress of preparing for the wedding, the long heated nights and the blissful, playful mornings that had followed…

It took a supreme act of willpower to keep watching her husband breathe quietly in and out and not wake him to share the morning together in an altogether more _active_ way.

Sighing softly, knowing he needed the sleep she rolled onto her back and tried to tell herself to just enjoy waking up together in the morning for the first time in weeks. As of late, either she or Takeru had been up and out of their bed at first light, running off in one direction or the other; more often than not it was the two of them doing so. The only thing they had time for in the morning anymore was a hurried "good morning," a chaste kiss, and a promise to talk later that day.

By the time the day dwindled down into dark, they were both so thoroughly exhausted that after a hot shower, fatigued late evening meal, they would all but fall into bed. There was barely time enough for a drowsy kiss goodnight as his arms slid around her slim waist, pulled her close against his chest, and relaxing into the warmth and comfort each radiated before they would fall instantly asleep.

Occasionally, there were even nights when he would be home so late that she went to sleep in a cold bed. Those nights made her weary. Worse for both of them though was waking up alone, the other side of the bed absent of the warmth of the other. Lonelier still was waking up to find the warmth still lingering, the silence ringing, and knowing that they had _just missed_ the other.

Mako resisted the impulse to snuggle deeper into the covers and hide in the warm pocket of her husband's warmth. She knew it would wake him, if only briefly, and she wasn't entirely positive she had a lock on her own wandering hands enough to not _keep_ him awake.

Grumbling internally she slipped out from beneath the sheets as agilely as a cat, not disturbing her slumbering husband an iota as she padded softly to the kitchen to warm the tea kettle.

Once a hot cup of the stimulating brew was in hand, Mako slid out the back sliding door and settled on the wooden porch to watch the rest of the sunrise and listen to the birds sing their greetings to the new day.

0-0-0-0-0

Takeru woke slowly. He shifted his face into the pillow, wanting to hide from the sun, but knowing it was a futile effort. His body knew it was morning now, and with that knowledge came the onslaught of all that he knew he had to accomplish before the day was out.

Trying not to groan into his pillow at the thought, Takeru reached out blindly with his hand to find his wife. Maybe if he pulled her close, her warmth would ease him back into sleep and he could rest for just a little longer before he had to face the day.

He frowned slightly when his wandering fingertips met nothing but cool sheets and air. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and rubbed the remnants of sleep from his face. Had she left already? He could have sworn she'd said that she didn't have to get up and run first thing in the morning, but he had been so drained last night he was having trouble remembering how he got home, let alone talking to his wife, much less how he had even gotten in to bed.

Takeru looked over at Mako's pillow and sighed. He didn't feel so exhausted from the work now that he'd had a solid night's rest so much as a hollow ache in his arms where his wife should be, and for how many days they'd gone now waking up alone. She _could_ have woken him, but he knew she wouldn't have, she was too considerate of others, too aware of their needs before considering her own.

He stared at her pillow as he thought. It was still early by most people's standards, to Chiaki it would be blasphemous to be up at this time, let alone even earlier. A small smirk crossed his lips at the many times his friend had all but wandered in to the restaurant for an opening shift looking like he was still sleeping on his feet. Poor Kotoha had her work cut out for her trying to wake him in the mornings.

Takeru breathed in deeply, running a hand through his hair, his thoughts turning, as ever, back to his wife. He paused for a moment, his face breaking into a small, delighted smile as he caught the scent of her tea wafting through the air from the cracked bedroom door. If he could smell her tea so strongly, then it meant she was still home.

Eagerly he swung his legs over the bedside and headed to the kitchen to grab a cup of his own before hunting down the location of his wife.

0-0-0-0-0

Mako started slightly when she heard the door slide open behind her before her face broke out into a wide smile. "Good morning," she called brightly.

Takeru slid into a seat next to her on the porch before placing his cup down and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in to kiss her on the temple. "Good morning," he replied.

Mako worked to suppress the shiver that went through her at the sound of his husky, still-waking-up, voice so close to her ear.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

Mako leaned into his hold, resting her head on his shoulder. "You needed the rest." He squeezed her shoulder lightly. "And besides, I like watching you sleep. You look so cute, all bundled up and cozy under the covers." Her teasing tone had its desired effect as she watched Takeru flush.

Laughing lightly, she leaned over and kissed his cheek softly.

The sound of her sweet laughter mixed with her soft body shaking against his woke him up more fully than his tea.

Takeru felt his desire flare with a sudden hunger as he turned his head to capture her lips with his own.

Mako's eyes widened in surprise at the rapid change in her husband, but as he deepened the kiss she leaned into his warmth, one hand against his chest the other just barely clutching on to her ceramic tea cup.

Deftly, without breaking the kiss, he grasped the delicate cup from her hand and set it next to his own on the sun-warmed porch. Free of her last hesitation, Mako slid onto his lap, her chest against his as they slowly dipped backwards toward the wooden surface.

Her mouth was hot, tasting of her tea, spices, and honey.

Takeru ran his hands up and down her sides, lifting her shirt up just enough to let his fingers ghost along her back as he held her close.

Mako shivered in excitement and longing, her heart racing at the contact.

Grinning into their kiss he flipped her over, covering her with his body. She felt the comfort of his weight on top of her and slid her arms up around his shoulders until they were alternately encircling his neck to pull him closer or skimming lightly through his hair.

Eventually they broke apart, breathing heavily. Mako looked up into his suddenly mischievous eyes, his once bed tousled hair now even more askew from her wandering hands and couldn't stop the brilliant smile that lit her face.

He stood up suddenly, breaking their body contact and Mako looked up at him in confusion. She sat up with a questioning look until he grasped her arms and helped her to stand. With a gasp of surprise he swept out her knees and caught her in his arms, picking her up bridal-style and holding her close to his chest.

With his fingertips he managed to slide the door back open and carry her inside, the mischievous smile still lighting his face.

"Takeru?" Mako started.

"It's too early to be up just yet. I think we should go back to bed for a bit longer." Takeru's voice was filled with promises and Mako felt her hunger flare to the surface more prominently than before as they crossed the threshold to their bedroom.

0-0-0-0-0

Mako roused herself from sleep feeling deliciously sated and warm. Takeru had one arm around her, holding her chest to his, their sheets twisted about their bodies. His other hand was playing with her hair, gentle fingers threading through the long dark strands.

Takeru felt her stirring against him and kissed her on the forehead.

Mako smiled softly. "Good morning."

Takeru grinned back, a quiet laugh reaching his eyes. "Good afternoon."

Mako felt her grin match his own, and as their eyes met in playful fervor his lips covered hers once more.

Delighted, Mako returned the action, but felt responsibility tugging at her after the mention of "afternoon." It was time to start getting ready for the day; they had so much that needed to be done still, places to go, people to see, an earning to make.

An idea popped into Mako's mind and she broke off their kiss with an impish glee. She slid out of Takeru's arms and sat up in the bed, trying to keep her face serious.

"We have to get going soon, Takeru. We don't have time to lie in bed any longer."

Takeru winced at the reminder of responsibilities. If he could have his way, he would have stayed in bed with his wife all day long. Sighing heavily, he dragged a hand through his hair. "You're right."

Tingling in anticipation, Mako kissed Takeru chastely on the lips before leaning further over to his ear, letting her grin break free. "I'll be in the shower. Waiting." She pulled back, her eyes flashing in renewed desire as her husband's face broke out into his own roguish grin.

His hand shot out to grab her around the waist to pull her back down to him, but she darted from the bed like a sparrow, casting a meaningful look over her shoulder as she slid through the bathroom door, leaving it open just a crack.

Takeru shook his head, his full smile alight on his face. No one would ever believe him if he told them about this side of his wife. Not that he had any desire to. In fact, just the opposite; he had every intention of keeping this part of Mako all to himself.

And with that thought he threw the covers aside as the sound of running water hit his ears.

After all, he really _did_ need a shower.

The sounds of laughter and water filled the tiny room, steam filling every corner of its space.

While two mugs of cooled tea sat out on the sun-drenched wooden porch, long forgotten. Side-by-side they enjoyed the early afternoon and the promise of what was to come.


End file.
